Janitorial Company Ordered To Hire Union Cleaners

A federal judge has ordered Pressroom Cleaners, the janitorial contractor that serves CT1 Media, to hire six workers that it had refused to hire when it took over the contract a year ago.

One of those workers had cleaned offices at the 285 Broad Street location for 15 years, one 14 years, one nine years and one eight years. Two additional workers were not part of the initial motion, and do not have to be rehired.

CT1 Media is the umbrella company for the Hartford Courant, Fox CT and WCCT.

Before taking over the contract, a co-owner of Pressroom Cleaners told these half dozen men and women that his company didn't work with unions, according to the National Labor Relations Board motion. The janitors were members of Service Employees International Union Local32BJ.

It is illegal to refuse to hire people because of their union affiliation, or to fire workers for joining a union.

The Nebraska-based company responded to the National Labor Relations Board by saying that the former employees didn't want to return to their jobs. But all six workers said in fact, they did want to return to their jobs at their former wages and benefits.

Pressroom will have to bring the workers back within five days and pay the wages they earned before that company took over the cleaning contract, even if that means firing the cleaners now working in the CT1 Media's offices.

Hartford-based Capitol Carpet & Specialty, the previous janitorial contractor, paid the workers $13.50 an hour and gave them health care and vacations. Pressroom is paying $9 an hour, with no benefits, according to Jonathan Kreisberg, regional director of the National Labor Relations Board. The agency, which is charged with protecting workers' rights, requested an injunction in July.

The ruling, issued Wednesday by U.S. District Court Judge Warren Eginton in Bridgeport, will be in effect until the case in the NLRB system is resolved. Even if Pressroom appeals, it has to hire the janitors while waiting for the appellate court decision.

Pressroom Cleaners Office Manager Theresa Frangoulis said the company would meet with its lawyer on Monday, and had no comment before then.